MANY nations have faced political, parliamentary, and governmental turmoil for many years due to hasty political actions and a lack of a strong leader who was tenacious in his actions.
A decade ago, Belgium experienced a government-formation crisis that lasted nearly three years before one of the parties finally withdrew its demands. Similarly, Italy has struggled with this issue for decades, resulting in the formation of 69 cabinets, each with an average lifespan of less than a year. In France, 22 governments were formed over the span of 11 years.
In the Arab world, Jordan suffered from parliamentary and governmental turmoil, with elections sometimes taking place every few months. This instability impacted its economic and political situation. Bahrain benefited from a calm and wise approach by its king, who effectively addressed parliamentary concerns.
Each of these nations had a wise leader who was capable of resolving disputes, maintaining peace, and fostering reform. This mirrors the leadership of Charles de Gaulle in the late 1950s when he amended the constitution and set France on a more stable path.
However, other nations have succumbed to the forces of the status quo, with their leaders unaware of the destruction they were causing to their countries, as seen in Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon.
While Yemen inherited challenges from settlements driven by party interests, the commitment of Yemenis and Iraqis to the so-called “Arab Spring” ultimately led to the collapse of institutions and suffering for the people.
In this context, there is a neighboring country that endured years of chaos until a wise leader and a young leadership emerged to address the root causes of the issues instead of just dealing with the symptoms. Within months, they settled matters. As we had previously mentioned, that country has become an icon of reform, development, and openness. It is none other than the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
These two models illustrate what might happen if Kuwait were to remain in its current state of parliamentary chaos, with lawmakers imposing their will on successive governments since 1992.
Settlements aimed to appease influential people, lawmakers and some members of the ruling family led to the encroachment on the powers of ministers, often disregarding the responsibilities assigned to each of them.
This situation caused institutional devastation, the spread of corruption, and appointments based on narrow interests to the extent of even manipulating sensitive issues such as sectarianism, tribalism, and family ties, which threatened the social fabric of the country.
Relationships with several Arab nations also suffered to the extent that Kuwait was perceived as an incurable illness.
Under the leadership of His Highness the Amir who is known for his courage and wisdom, significant changes began.
Upon ascending to power, he began delicate reforms by suspending certain constitutional articles that had long been taboo, and dissolving the National Assembly, which had become a source of frustration for the public. He focused on dealing with the root causes of destruction, particularly targeting corruption and the entrenched deep state.
These changes were made possible by the visionary approach of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad, who understood that true reform must start at the roots, and that painkillers alone would not cure the disease.
Therefore, the courageous measures taken by the Amir were widely applauded by Kuwaitis and even by regional countries that view Kuwait as a significant influence in their societies and political behavior.
In light of this reality, the current Council of Ministers must work diligently to fulfill His Highness the Amir’s vision and expedite progress.
Time is of the essence, as urgent regional and global conditions cannot allow for distractions. The unrest has already squandered nearly half of our young state’s existence.
